Bear Lured from Tree with Donuts and Honey in New Jersey Rescue

A young black bear that spent hours perched high in a tree in a residential neighborhood was safely coaxed down and tranquilized using an unlikely bait: donuts and honey.

The unusual rescue unfolded midday, with police and wildlife experts responding after a child heading to her school bus spotted the animal. Neighbors told responding officers that the bear had earlier been seen roaming through garbage cans.

Body camera footage released by police shows the rescue effort as it happened. In the end, officers used donuts and other sweet treats to lure the bear down from a tall tree.

A witness who watched from her doorstep—and asked not to show her face on camera—described the scene. She said the bear went “in and out, in and out,” repeatedly approaching the donuts before retreating back up the tree. Eventually, wildlife experts set up a gate, and the bear walked inside.

Elizabeth police and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) jointly coordinated the operation. According to officials, after the bear was lured down, it was tranquilized. A crew then hoisted the animal onto a canvas and placed it into a truck. The DEP confirmed the bear weighs approximately 160 pounds and will be relocated to the wild.

Elizabeth Councilman William McGowan, who lives on the street and watched for most of the morning, praised the response. “One of the things we were thinking about is the safety of our kids—make sure everybody is safe. But we were also concerned about the safety of the animals as well. Nobody wanted to hurt her or harm her in any kind of way,” McGowan said. He added, “The police department did do a wonderful job, and so did the Department of Environmental Protection.”

No injuries were reported, and officials emphasized that the bear was not harmed. “Thank goodness for those donuts,” one onlooker remarked as the animal was safely secured.